The present invention relates to health food containing Dunaliella algae and a process for the production thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to encapsulated food obtained by utilizing various kinds of active components included in Dunaliella algae, especially .beta.-carotene present in the algae without destroying it, as well as to a process for producing such food.
It has been well known that Chlorella algae, which belong to the species of unicellular Chlorophyceae, are used for the purposes of food additives or health food in the form of a tablet by utilizing extracted solution from or dried powder of the algae. It has also been known that Dunaliella algae produce a lot of .beta.carotene therein when the algae are grown in a culture fluid containing a high concentration of saline and a small amount of nitrogen under the intense sunbeams and other appropriate conditions. It is public knowledge in the art that natural .beta.-carotene derived from Dunaliella algae is utilized in the form of a suspension in vegetable oil as natural coloring agents for food, cosmetics, feed and the like as additives for health food and as a material for regulating vital functions such as a nourishing diet supplement. However, no practical proposal had been made concerning the method of fully utilizing Dunaliella algae per se for health-oriented food without destroying the .beta.-carotene.
Dunaliella algae contain proteins, lipids, sugars, mineral components such as iron and calcium, vitamins such as provitamin A and vitamin B group compounds and a variety of other physiologically active ingredients. Among these nutrients, .beta.-carotene, one of provitamin A group compounds, is easily oxidizable because it contains a conjugated double bond chains. This presents a serious problem in the manufacture of health food containing Dunaliella algae. It has therefore been strongly desired to develop a method by which the algae can be processed without destroying the natural .beta.-carotene, and the product obtained can also be preserved in a stable state.
The present inventor actively investigated possible solutions for the aforementioned problems. As a result of such investigation, he has completed the present invention.